Bontrager’s mountain bike wheel lineup gets a refresh, with compelling features and price points introduced in the Line and Kovee wheel families. New for this summer are the Line wheels in Pro, Elite and Comp trim, and the Kovee Elite, plus an all-new Rapid Drive hub that switches from the DT Swiss Star Ratchet of prior models to a new, offset 6-pawl, 54-tooth engagement system. Check the video above for the run through and closeups, then roll past the break for photos, official specs and weights, and the explanation for the move away from DT’s internals…
Inside the hub shell is a 17mm axle is larger than what is used in the DT Swiss hubs and internals. That let them use larger bearings, so it’s stronger and more durable. The new ratchet and pawl design also lets them put the drive side bearing a few millimeters further out, so it’ll improve system stiffness there, too.
A final reason for the switch is that they were capped with 54 teeth in the star ratchet system, which for history buffs is a number they created and had exclusive rights to for a year or so when it launched. They tested 72 teeth, but the durability wasn’t there. This system lets them get up to 108 for nearly instant 3.333° engagement. And they say it has less drag than the DT System it’s replacing.
The last pieces of info you need to know about all of them is that they’ll come with Boost axles only, no more standard spacing for these models. They also come with Bontrager’s tubeless ready rim strip and valve stems preinstalled, but those don’t figure into the weights listed below. They also come with a valve core removal tool.
QUICK SPECS:
Line Pro 30
- Rapid Drive 108
- 29mm internal rim width / 36mm external
- OCLV carbon rim
- 28 DT Aerolite spokes front/rear
- 1,539g for 27.5″
- 1,630g for 29er
- $1,200
Line Elite 30
- Rapid Drive 108
- 29mm internal rim width / 33mm external
- Alloy rim
- 28 DT Aerolite spokes front/rear
- 1,708g for 27.5″
- 1,794g for 29er
- $600
Line Comp 30
- Rapid Drive 54
- 29mm internal rim width
- Alloy rim
- 28 spokes front/rear
- 1,978g for 27.5″
- 2,080 for 29er
- $300
The Line wheels get a 440g 29er carbon rim, 495g for alloy, the rest of the weight difference between the wheels come from the different spokes used. It’s worth mentioning that the Kovee XXX introduced last year had approximately the same weight as these new Kovee Pro’s, but cost twice as much. Aaaaahhh, progress.
Kovee Elite 23
- Rapid Drive 54
- 22.5mm internal rim width / 29mm external
- OCLV carbon rim
- 28 spokes front/rear
- 1,606g for 27.5″
- 1,690g for 29er
- $700
These sit below the Kovee XXX and Kovee Pro OCLV carbon race wheels introduced last year and provide an mid-tier upgrade for a lot less money. They are different, though… the Kovee XXX is wider at 29mm internally with a rim weight of just 375g (claimed, 29er)…and they’re way more expensive.
